FD-36 (Rev. 1-27-76)

TRANSMIT VIA: [4% Teletype

(_] Facsimile (] Airtel

® FBI

PRECEDENCE: (-) Immediate (-) Priority

f%] Routine

CLASSIFICATION: (1 TOP SECRET (CO SECRET

() CONFIDENTIAL GJEFTO

( CLEAR

9/23/77

FM MEMPHIS (194-16) (P)

TO DIRECTOR ROUTINE

BT BENS. 2

ERNEST COLUMBUS WITHERS, AGENT, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMMISSION,

STATE OF TENNESSEE; HOBBS ACT - CORRUPTION OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS. ,.

OO: ME.

[avs SEPT. 13, 1977, SHE HAD BEEN

CONTACTED BY SUBJECT,

ALSO TOLD HER THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST STEP IN GETTING LEASED FROM PRISON IF SHE HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO SWING

THE DEAL.

AUSA DANIEL CLANCY, MEMPHIS, CONTACTED FOR A PRELIMINARY OPINION AND HE ADVISED THIS CASE WOULD FIT WITHIN THE GUIDELINES

Transmitted

AN INMATE AT FORT PILLOW STATE PRISON, WOULD BE MOVED FROM THAT INSTITUTION TO A WORK RELEASE CENTER.

b7C

/44-1¢-2-

SHAROUND ° wade Twweaep J?

wD ye

OLOGLD Per

(Number) (Time)

GPO ; 1977 O - 225-530

FD-36 (Rev. 7-27-76) ae ey

i

oe FBI TRANSMIT VIA: PRECEDENCE: CLAS SIFICATION: | Le

(_) Teletype (C) Immediate (L) TOP SECRET

(Facsimile (-) Priority (cd SECRET

CO Airtel (2 Routine (J) CONFIDENTIAL

OEFTO !

( CLEAR !

Date ata!

ees es meet ome et eee ee eee ee SK SS ee SO ewe te ew ew ew wwe ee SSS ee an ae er ae ese ee

PAGE 2 (ME 194-16) EFTO OF THE HOBBS ACT - CORRUPTION OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS. AUSA CLANCY ALSO APPROVED RECORDING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION BETWEEN

PT. 13, 1977 | eave HER WRITTEN PERMISSION

TO HAVE THE TELEPHONE CONVERSATION RECORDED. SHE SUBSEQUENTLY CALLED WITHERS AT HIS BUSINESS NUMBER AND RECORDED A CONVERSATION LASTING APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. DUR S CONVERSATION , WITHERS REITERATED HIS PROMISE TO HAVE OVED TO A WORK RELEASE CENTER FOR $2,000. HE ALSO INDICATED HE FELT CERTAIN

THA COULD BE RELEASED AFTER HE HAD “ACQUIRED THE PROPER BACKGROUND." WITHERS_WOULD NOT reul| exact HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO GET OUT OF PRISON BUT INDICATED IT WOULD

BE AT LEAST $12,000 TO $16,000. ORKING WITH MEMPHIS OFFICE IN ATTEMPTING TO ARRANGE A MEETING WITH WITHERS TO COMPLETE THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR WITHERS' TRIP TO NASHVILLE. ERNEST COLUMBUS WITHERS WAS FORMERLY DESIGNATED AS ME 338-R,

CAPTIONED "ERNEST COLUMBUS WITHERS; CI." THESE CASES WERE

Apuveds — | ri i OF (Number) (Time) GPO : 1977 O - 225-539

FD-36 (Rev. 7-27-76) e * ee “

\

. FBI ; TRANSMIT VIA: PRECEDENCE: CLAS SIFICATION: aye (_) Teletype ([) Immediate (_) TOP SECRET (_) Facsimile (-] Priority (-) SECRET (() Airtel (() Routine ((] CONFIDENTIAL

OEFTO ! (0 CLEAR ! Date

PAGE 3 (ME 194-16) E FTO

CLOSED AS OF SEPTEMBER, 1976. MEMPHIS, AT MEMPHIS, WILL MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH

[ __earoins HER NEGOTIATIONS WITH SUBJECT.

BT

Appraved? = ran mitted | SP (Number) (Time) GPO ; 1977 O - 225-539

a aa a ct ec aeeneeelmaoSomiaa iment